Pasadena City Council members unanimously elected their colleague John J. Kennedy, as vice mayor this week, during a non-agenda Special Organizational Meeting, kicking off a new political year for the city. Kennedy will replace fellow councilmember Gene Masuda in that role. While local elections tend not to be as divisive as national ones, Kennedy said, they can still be marked by differences in ideas and opinions.

But, he said, “we have many critical issues to address as a city, and we need to put our divisions aside, so that we can succeed together as a City Council and succeed on behalf of our constituents to ensure that all Pasadena residents have maximum quality of life and the fullest measure of opportunity.”

“I shall honor all those who preceded me in this important role, from Masuda to the Honorable Jacque Robinson, to their many predecessors throughout our City’s history,” Kennedy told reporters.

A Pasadena native, Kennedy credits his extensive travel and longtime political involvement to his knowledge and understanding of local, national and international government practices and procedures. For about the last one and a half years, Kennedy has worked for a family company with responsibilities in philanthropy, real estate, and business development. Previously, he was Director of Special Projects for Southern California Edison. He served in several capacities at SCE – including managing community investments of up to $1 Million provided to various non-profit organizations.

Kennedy dedicated his life to community service at a young age, having served as the president of the Pasadena Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People by age 25. He has dedicated much of his spare time to community organizing and working to elect and support Democratic Candidates. Kennedy is a board member of the Tom Bradley Legacy Foundation at UCLA; Black Alumni Council at the University of Southern California (USC); and serves on the National Finance Committee for the President of the United States.